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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · game · can · arm · vault · swing · fine · field

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. field — a subject
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. fine — high quality
  5. hand — help
  6. can — to be able to
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fine — all right
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. can — a tin
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. field — for sport
  14. swing — music
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. can — a tin
  17. hand — in cards
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. swing — to play on
  20. game — a match
  21. field — farmland
  22. game — wild animals
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. vault — a safe

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com